Louver assembly

ABSTRACT

A louver assembly includes a housing having an opeing therethrough which defines at least one interior surface. A plurality of louver vanes are interconnected to a pair of gang bars by living hinges. The connection between the vanes and one of the gang bars is at a corner on a first edge of each of the vanes. The other gang bar is interconnected with the plurality of vanes at a second edge of the vanes. Mounting structure is provided which is in part associated with the housing and in part associated with the interconnected vanes. The mounting structure mounts the vanes in the opening of the housing for pivotable movement with respect to the housing. At least one of the gang bars is in juxtaposition with the housing&#39;&#39;s interior surface. Ratchet teeth are formed on at least a portion of the one gang bar and these teeth are in facing relationship with the housing&#39;&#39;s interior surface. Grooves are provided on the housing&#39;&#39;s interior surface in juxtaposition with the ratchet teeth. The plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within the housing&#39;&#39;s opening by engagement of the ratchet teeth and the grooves. The plurality of vanes may be adjusted to any selected position by moving the ratchet teeth over the grooves.

iinited States Patent 1 1 Gofton et al.

[541 LoUvER ASSEMBLY [75] Inventors: Ross H. Gofton, Highland; John K.

Koh, Ann Arbor; Edmund A. Newton, Belleville; David R. Saunders, Ann Arbor, all of Mich.

[73] Assignee: Ford Motor Company, Dearborn,

Mich.

[22] Filed: Jan. 7, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 216,087

I FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS May 29, 1973 Almrney-Keith L. Zerschling and William E.

Johnson [5 7] ABSTRACT A louver assembly includes a housing having an opeing therethrough which defines at least one interior surface. A plurality of louver vanes are interconnected to a pair of gang bars by living hinges. The connection between the vanes and one of the gang bars is at a corner on a first edge of each of the vanes. The other gang bar is interconnected with the plurality of vanes at a second edge of the vanes. Mounting structure is provided which is in part associated with the housing and in part associated with the interconnected vanes. The mounting structure mounts the vanes in the opening of the housing for pivotable movement with respect to the housing. At least one of the gang bars is in juxtaposition with the housings interior surface. Ratchet teeth are formed on at least a portion of the one gang bar and these teeth are in facing relationship with the housings interior surface. Grooves are provided on the housings interior surface in juxtaposition with the ratchet teeth. The plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within the housings opening by engagement of the ratchet teeth and the grooves. The plurality of vanes may be adjusted to any selected position by moving the ratchet teeth over the grooves.

287,799 4/1953 Switzerland ..49/90 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 2C5-/ 26 2 vi 6. f 26-3 22 \Q fZ-/ v/' k J6? jg d8 214M... l ,1 ,'I l I I 20/ 26? BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Louver assemblies for air distribution systems are well known in the art. Typical examples of louver assemblies of the prior art are found in US. Pat. Nos. 2,600,934; 3,127,826; 3,180,246; 3,301,164; 3,509,613; 3,572,233 and 3,587,442. These patents teach many different types of structures for providing adjustable louver vanes in an air moving system. The structures disclosed in the patents provide different devices for mounting the vanes at a particular attitude within the air moving system. In general, it may be stated that the prior art devices are complex and are generally formed of several parts which must be assembled.

It is a principle purpose of this invention to provide a louver assembly in which the plurality of vanes employed therein are positively positioned in a selected position by structure which also permits the vanes to be moved between various positions. It is another purpose of this invention to provide a louver assembly wherein only two easily assembled units are employed to form the entire assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relatesto a louver assembly and, more particularly, to a louver assembly in which the pluurality of vanes thereof are positively positioned in a selected position by structure which also permits the vanes to be moved to different, selected positions.

In accordance with the teachings of this invention, a louver assembly includes a housing having an opening therethrough, which opening has an interior surface. A pair of gang bars are interconnected with a plurality of vanes by living hinge elements. A first one of the gang bars is interconnected at a comer of a first edge of each of the plurality of vanes. The other gang bar is interconnected at a second edge of the plurality of vanes. Mounting structure is provided in part on the housing and in part on the interconnected vanes to pivotably mount the vanes in the housings opening. When the vanes are so mounted, at least one of the gang bars is in juxtaposition with the housings interior surface. Ratchet teeth are formed on at least a portion of the one gang bar. These teeth are in facing relationship with the housings interior surface. Grooves are formed on the housings interior surface in juxtaposition with the ratchet teeth. These grooves engage the ratchet teeth whereby the plurality of interconnected vanes are held in a fixed position within the housing. The vanes may be moved to different, selected positions by moving the ratchet teeth over the grooves. The ratchet teeth are formed on the gang bar interconnecting the vanes at the same time as the gang bars, the living hinge elements and the vanes are formed in a molding operation. Similarly, the grooves on the interior surface of the housing are formed simultaneously with the molding of the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the louver assembly of this invention showing the vanes thereof positioned to direct air moving through the assembly in a direction straight out of the figure.

FIG. 2 is a plan view, partly in cross section, taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing details of the louver assembly.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the louver assembly.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a portion of the interconnected louver vanes of the louver assembly.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a portion of the housing of the louver assembly showing some of the details thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT CONSTRUCTION In the drawings, the numeral generally denotes the louver assembly of this invention. The assembly is fonned by two major units, each of the units being formable in a plastic molding operation. The two units are a housing, generally identified by the numeral 12, and a vane assembly, generally denoted by the numeral 14.

The housing 12 has a top wall 16, a bottom wall 18 and a pair of side walls 20-20. As best seen'in FIG. 5, the housing 12 has an upper finishing edge 22 and a lower finishing edge 24, both edges being on the front of the housing. The purpose of these two edges is to hide portions of the vane assembly 14 when it is inserted within the housings opening defined within the interior of the top, the bottom and the side walls.

As may best be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, both the top wall 16 and the bottom wall 18 of the housing 12 have three sets of grooves 26-1, 26-2 and 26-3 thereon. As seen in FIG. 2, these grooves extend from the back of the housing toward the front of the housing. The grooves are in the form of a plurality of V-shpaed notches.

Guide grooves 28-1 and 28-2 are provided between the grooves 26 for a purpose to be explained subsequently. Each of the guide grooves terminate at an associated opening 30 (best seen in FIG. '2) which is formed in a resilient tab 32. The resilient tab is made resilient by providing a U-shaped opening 34 therearound during the molding operation which forms the housing 12.

As may best be appreciated by viewing FIGS. 1, 3

and 4, the vane assembly 14 is formed with five vanes 36. A first pair of gang bars, respectively designated by the numerals 38 and 40 are interconnected respectively to the top portions of both the trailing edge 42 and the leading edge 44 of the individual vanes 36 (see FIG. 4) by a plurality of living hinges 46 formed during the molding operation which forms the entire unit 14. Similarly, a second pair of gang bars 48 and 50 are interconnected respectively with the trailing edge 42 and the leading edge 44 .of the plurality of vanes by means of living hinges 46. g As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, the gang bar 38 is provided with three sets of ratchet teeth 52-1, 52-2 and 52-3. Similarly, the gang bar 48 is provided with three sets of ratchet teeth 54-1, 54-2 and 54-3..The ratchet teeth 52 and 54 are designed to cooperate and be associatable with the sets of grooves 26 formed on the housing 12.

The second and fourth vanes 36 of the vane assembly 14 are provided with projections 56 thereon. As best understood by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the projections 56 are received in the opening 30 of the resilient tabs 32 so as to mount the vane assembly 14 within the interior opening of the housing 12. The projections 56 are moved along the guide grooves 28 into the proper position for assembly. As the projections 56 are guided to their proper positions, the resilient tab 32 is deflected to permit the projections to drop into the openings 30. Once each of the projections have been received within an associated opening 30, the associated tab returns to its normal position to hold the vane assembly within the housing.

The third or middle vane 36 of the vane assembly 14 is provided with an adjusting tab 58 as best seen in FIG. 2. The vanes may be moved to any desired position by engaging and moving the adjusting tab.

OPERATION As seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the vane assembly 14 has the plurality of vanes 36 thereof positioned so that air flowing through the louver assembly is directed straight ahead. At this particular time, the ratchet teeth 52 and 54 formed on the gang bars 38 and 48 of the vane assembly will be in engagement with various ones of the grooves 26 formed on the interior surfaces of the top wall 16 and the bottom wall 18 of the housing 12. If one desires to deflect the air at a different angular attitude, the adjusting tab 58 is engaged and moved to cause the ratchet teeth 52 and 54 to move over the grooves 26. When the new or desired location is achieved, no further movement of the adjusting tab is undertaken and the ratchet teeth will be in engagement with new, individual ones of the grooves in order to maintain the vanes in the new set position.

Because of the living hinge interconnection 46 between the vanes 34 and the gang bars 38, 40, 48 and 50, the movement of the gang bars is in an arcuate manner over the interior surface of the housing while the vanes are pivoted about their pivotable connections to the housing. Although the gang bars move in an arcuate manner, the ratchet teeth thereon remain in alignment with the grooves formed on the bottom wall and the top wall of the housing. However, because the gang bars at the rear of the housing move generally forward when the vanes are moved to a new position, it is necessary that the grooves 26 on the interior surface of the housing be of sufficient length that the ratchet teeth on the gang bars may still be in engagement with the grooves when the rear gang bars are moved to their forward position.

While the louver assembly of this invention has been shown in a preferred construction thereof, it is obvious that those skilled in the art, in view of this specification, will be able to construct structures of different construction which are still within the true spirit and scope of this invention. For example, if the grooves 26 formed on the surface of the housing run lengthwise of the housing rather than across the housing as shown, the ratchet teeth formed on the gang bars may have their position changed by 90. Also, it would be within the spirit and scope of this invention to provide grooves and ratchet teeth at the front of the louver assembly either in addition to the rear grooves and ratchet teeth or in place thereof.

We claim:

1. A louver assembly comprising:

a housing member having interior surfaces;

a plurality of vanes;

first mounting means including flexible hinge means for interconnecting said plurality of vanes, said first mounting means having portions thereof both in front of and behind said plurality of vanes;

second mounting means in part associated with'said housing member and in part associated with said plurality of interconnected vanes for mounting said interconnected vanes within said interior surfaces of said housing for pivotable movement with respect thereto;

ratchet teeth formed on at least a portion of said first mounting means which is in juxtaposition with an interior surface of said housing; and

groove means formed on said interior surface of said housing in juxtaposition with said ratchet teeth for engagement with said ratchet teeth whereby said plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within said housing by engagement of said ratchet teeth in said groove means and whereby said vanes are movable to different positions by movement of said ratchet teeth over said groove means.

2. A louver assembly comprising:

a housing having an opening therethrough which opening has an interior surface;

a plurality of vanes;

at least a pair of gang bars;

living hinge means for interconnecting one of said pair of gang bars at a corner of a first edge of each of said plurality of vanes and for interconnecting said other gang bar at a second edge of said plurality of vanes;

mounting means in part associated with said housing and in part associated with said interconnected vanes for mounting said vanes in said opening of said housing for pivotable movement with respect thereto, at least said one gang bar being in juxtaposition with said housings interior surface;

ratchet teeth formed on at least a portion of said one gang bar, said teeth being in facing relationship with said housings interior surface; and

groove means formed on said housings interior surface in juxtaposition with said ratchet teeth for engagement with said ratchet teeth whereby said plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within said housings interior and whereby said vanes are movable to different positions by movement of said ratchet teeth over said groove means.

3. The louver assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein: said groove means are in the form of a plurality of V- shaped notches extending over a substantial portion of said housings interior surface, and wherein both said V-shaped notches and said ratchet teeth extend in the same general direction when said interconnected vanes are positioned in said housings interior.

4. The louver assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein: said part of said mounting means associated with said interconnected vanes is a pair of projections formed on at least two of said plurality of vanes at a location on the upper and the lower center of said two vanes, and wherein said part of said mounting means associated with said housing are resiliently deformable tabs having openings for receiving said projections of said vanes therein, whereby said interconnected vanes may be pivoted about'said projections to their various positions within said housings interior.

5. A louver assembly comprising:

a housing having an opening therethrough defined by a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls; a plurality of vanes; two pair of gang bars; living hinge means for interconnecting a first pair of gang bars respectively to the upper and to the lower corners of the leading edge of each of said plurality of vanes, said living hinge means also for interconnecting said second pair of gang bars respectively to the upper and to the lower corners of the trailing edge of each of said plurality of vanes;

mounting means in part associated with said housing and in part associated with said interconnected vanes for mounting said vanes in said housings opening for pivotable movement with respect thereto, each of said second pair of gang bars having a surface in juxtaposition respectively with said top wall and said bottom wall of said housings opening; I

ratchet teeth formed on at least portions of each of said second pair of gang bars in facing relationship to said top wall and said bottom wall of said housing; and

groove means formed both on said top wall and on said bottom wall of said housings interior, said groove means being in juxtaposition with said ratchet teeth on each of said second pair of gang bars, said groove means for engaging said ratchet teeth whereby said plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within said housings interior and whereby said vanes are movable to different positions by movement of said ratchet teeth over said groove means.

6. The louver assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein: said groove means are in the form of a plurality of V- shaped notches extending over a substantial portion of said bottom wall and said top wall of said housing in a direction from the rear to the front of said housing, and wherein said ratchet teeth formed on each of said sec- 6 0nd pair of gang bars also extend from the rear to the front of said housing when said vanes are positioned within said housings opening.

7. The louver assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein: said part of said mounting means associated with said interconnected vanes is a pair of projections formed on at least two of said plurality of vanes at a location on the upper and the lower center of said two vanes, and wherein said part of said mounting means associated with said housing are resiliently deformable tabs formed in said top wall and said bottom wall, said tabs having openings for receiving said projections of said vanes, whereby said interconnected vanes may be pivoted about said projections to their various positions within said housings interior.

8. The louver assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein: said resilient tabs formed in said top wall and said bottom wall of said housing are formed therein by means of U-shaped openings in said walls.

9. The louver assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein: a guide groove is provided from the rear of said top wall and said bottom wall across each of said resilient tabs toward said openings in said tabs, each of said guide grooves for guiding one of said projections of said vanes to an associated opening in said tab when said vanes are assembled with said housing.

10. The louver assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein: said vanes are five in number, wherein said projections are located on said second and fourth vanes, wherein ratchet teeth formed on said second pair of gang bars are formed adjacent said first, third and fifth vanes, wherein said guide grooves are formed adjacent said second and fourth vanes, and wherein said V-shaped notches defining said groove means are formed along said top and said bottom walls in all positions except where said guide grooves are located. 

1. A louver assembly comprising: a housing member having interior surfaces; a plurality of vanes; first mounting means including flexible hinge means for interconnecting said plurality of vanes, said first mounting means having portions thereof both in front of and behind said plurality of vanes; second mounting means in part associated with said housing member and in part associated with said plurality of interconnected vanes for mounting said interconnected vanes within saiD interior surfaces of said housing for pivotable movement with respect thereto; ratchet teeth formed on at least a portion of said first mounting means which is in juxtaposition with an interior surface of said housing; and groove means formed on said interior surface of said housing in juxtaposition with said ratchet teeth for engagement with said ratchet teeth whereby said plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within said housing by engagement of said ratchet teeth in said groove means and whereby said vanes are movable to different positions by movement of said ratchet teeth over said groove means.
 2. A louver assembly comprising: a housing having an opening therethrough which opening has an interior surface; a plurality of vanes; at least a pair of gang bars; living hinge means for interconnecting one of said pair of gang bars at a corner of a first edge of each of said plurality of vanes and for interconnecting said other gang bar at a second edge of said plurality of vanes; mounting means in part associated with said housing and in part associated with said interconnected vanes for mounting said vanes in said opening of said housing for pivotable movement with respect thereto, at least said one gang bar being in juxtaposition with said housing''s interior surface; ratchet teeth formed on at least a portion of said one gang bar, said teeth being in facing relationship with said housing''s interior surface; and groove means formed on said housing''s interior surface in juxtaposition with said ratchet teeth for engagement with said ratchet teeth whereby said plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within said housing''s interior and whereby said vanes are movable to different positions by movement of said ratchet teeth over said groove means.
 3. The louver assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein: said groove means are in the form of a plurality of V-shaped notches extending over a substantial portion of said housing''s interior surface, and wherein both said V-shaped notches and said ratchet teeth extend in the same general direction when said interconnected vanes are positioned in said housing''s interior.
 4. The louver assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein: said part of said mounting means associated with said interconnected vanes is a pair of projections formed on at least two of said plurality of vanes at a location on the upper and the lower center of said two vanes, and wherein said part of said mounting means associated with said housing are resiliently deformable tabs having openings for receiving said projections of said vanes therein, whereby said interconnected vanes may be pivoted about said projections to their various positions within said housing''s interior.
 5. A louver assembly comprising: a housing having an opening therethrough defined by a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls; a plurality of vanes; two pair of gang bars; living hinge means for interconnecting a first pair of gang bars respectively to the upper and to the lower corners of the leading edge of each of said plurality of vanes, said living hinge means also for interconnecting said second pair of gang bars respectively to the upper and to the lower corners of the trailing edge of each of said plurality of vanes; mounting means in part associated with said housing and in part associated with said interconnected vanes for mounting said vanes in said housing''s opening for pivotable movement with respect thereto, each of said second pair of gang bars having a surface in juxtaposition respectively with said top wall and said bottom wall of said housing''s opening; ratchet teeth formed on at least portions of each of said second pair of gang bars in facing relationship to said top wall and said bottom wall of said housing; and groove means formed both on said top wall and on said bottom wall of said housing''s interior, said groove means being in juxtaposiTion with said ratchet teeth on each of said second pair of gang bars, said groove means for engaging said ratchet teeth whereby said plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within said housing''s interior and whereby said vanes are movable to different positions by movement of said ratchet teeth over said groove means.
 6. The louver assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein: said groove means are in the form of a plurality of V-shaped notches extending over a substantial portion of said bottom wall and said top wall of said housing in a direction from the rear to the front of said housing, and wherein said ratchet teeth formed on each of said second pair of gang bars also extend from the rear to the front of said housing when said vanes are positioned within said housing''s opening.
 7. The louver assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein: said part of said mounting means associated with said interconnected vanes is a pair of projections formed on at least two of said plurality of vanes at a location on the upper and the lower center of said two vanes, and wherein said part of said mounting means associated with said housing are resiliently deformable tabs formed in said top wall and said bottom wall, said tabs having openings for receiving said projections of said vanes, whereby said interconnected vanes may be pivoted about said projections to their various positions within said housing''s interior.
 8. The louver assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein: said resilient tabs formed in said top wall and said bottom wall of said housing are formed therein by means of U-shaped openings in said walls.
 9. The louver assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein: a guide groove is provided from the rear of said top wall and said bottom wall across each of said resilient tabs toward said openings in said tabs, each of said guide grooves for guiding one of said projections of said vanes to an associated opening in said tab when said vanes are assembled with said housing.
 10. The louver assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein: said vanes are five in number, wherein said projections are located on said second and fourth vanes, wherein ratchet teeth formed on said second pair of gang bars are formed adjacent said first, third and fifth vanes, wherein said guide grooves are formed adjacent said second and fourth vanes, and wherein said V-shaped notches defining said groove means are formed along said top and said bottom walls in all positions except where said guide grooves are located. 